Magnify The Lord

Mary, Elizabeth, and John the Baptist teach us the fundamentals of worship in today’s gospel. John, the very first to worship Jesus, teaches us that joy is the primal response to a personal encounter with Christ. The infant leaped for joy within his mother’s womb at the nearness of God. Does the nearness of God make my soul leap for joy or do I miss it because I’m too consumed in my own issues? Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cries out in full voice, “Blessed are you among women and blessed of the fruit of your womb!” When Jesus reveals Himself to me, do I welcome the Holy Spirit in so that I can declare Him blessed above all with full confidence, faith, and trust? When people recognize Jesus within me, do I have the gracious heart of Mary to proclaim that it has nothing to do with me, and everything to do with the bigness of God’s love and mercy? Do I have the humility to acknowledge how God works in my life and in the world?  

The heart of worship is: the leaping of joy within our souls at the nearness of God, welcoming the Holy Spirit with enthusiasm, confidence, faith, and trust, so that God’s glory be proclaimed with full voice, humble gratitude for the workings of God’s love among us, a song to express it all, and don’t forget communion with one another. This one visitation of faithful women gives us the very essence of how to praise the Lord in all things. In Psalm 34:3, David sings, “O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.” Worship is the act of magnifying God. Magnification allows us to look deeper, wider, and bigger into the heart of God. Mary, Elizabeth, and John the Baptist get it. 

Who helps you magnify the Lord? Who do you run to when life is overwhelming? Who recognizes Christ within you and tells you about it? Who sings your heart song back to you? The memory care dining room has windows overlooking the sidewalk that I use to get to my car. Before I walk by, I catch the attention of whatever friends have the window seat and there is much leaping for joy as we recognize each other, they knock on the window to say hi, they even stand up to wave at me, and then we madly blow kisses to each other. This is the kind of visitation that makes the presence of Jesus recognizable and magnified. May you have lovely visitations that invoke the heart of worship today. It is well with my soul.  

Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Lectionary: 572

Reading 1 ZEP 3:14-18A

Shout for joy, O daughter Zion!
Sing joyfully, O Israel!
Be glad and exult with all your heart, 
O daughter Jerusalem!
The LORD has removed the judgment against you,
he has turned away your enemies;
The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst,
you have no further misfortune to fear.
On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged!
The LORD, your God, is in your midst,
a mighty savior;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
and renew you in his love,
He will sing joyfully because of you,
as one sings at festivals.

Or    ROM 12:9-16

Brothers and sisters:
Let love be sincere;
hate what is evil,
hold on to what is good;
love one another with mutual affection;
anticipate one another in showing honor.
Do not grow slack in zeal,
be fervent in spirit,
serve the Lord.
Rejoice in hope,
endure in affliction,
persevere in prayer.
Contribute to the needs of the holy ones,
exercise hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you,
bless and do not curse them.
Rejoice with those who rejoice,
weep with those who weep.
Have the same regard for one another;
do not be haughty but associate with the lowly;
do not be wise in your own estimation.

Responsorial Psalm ISAIAH 12:2-3, 4BCD, 5-6

R.(6)  Among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
God indeed is my savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
With joy you will draw water
at the fountain of salvation.
R. Among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;
among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.
R. Among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth.
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst 
is the Holy One of Israel!
R. Among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.

Alleluia SEE LK 1:45

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, O Virgin Mary, who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GospelLK 1:39-56

Mary set out
and traveled to the hill country in haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
"Most blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled."

And Mary said:

"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever."

Mary remained with her about three months
and then returned to her home.